North Star board may revisit duct-tape incident

Jim Miller, board chair of North Star Charter School, said Wednesday he will ask other board members if they want to hold a special meeting to look more carefully into allegations surrounding a fifth-grade teacher who acknowledged duct-taping a student’s mouth.

Miller made the decision to contact board members via email following a second allegation reported by KIVI Channel 6 Tuesday. An unnamed 13-year-old student said her mouth was taped by the instructor two years ago.

Miller said Monday that the investigation into the teacher’s action — conducted by the administration — had been completed and that she remained employed at the school.

Miller said he was aware of other allegations against the instructor at the time, but did not know of any evidence or documentation and considered it hearsay.

He said he did not know about the 13-year-old’s allegation until it aired on KIVI.

The student told KIVI that the instructor taped other students’ mouths and told a student to shut the door.

The report does not indicate why the students’ mouths may have been taped.

The allegation comes after the instructor acknowledged taping a student’s mouth and apologized. That incident happened on Oct. 11, KIVI reported.